Crusty Russ wrote:

> Here's some very interesting info about snorkeling between diving.  As
> best as I can tell from the research, in summary, 'don't' snorkel (free
> dive at depth) soon after or between dives unless you're prepared to
> account for additional nitrogen loading.

Without specific research but with related readings during other research,
here are my conclusions in decreasing order of confidence.  YMMV:
1. Freediving between dives slows the nitrogen offgas process, reducing the
effectiveness of a surface interval by an undetermined abount.
2. By reducing the effectiveness of the surface interval, it leaves me
without reliable information for planning the next dive, whether I'm on a
computer or not.
3. Freediving may actually add nitrogen to some tissues, exacerbating
problems suggested by 1 and 2.
4. If a sawtooth profile during a dive can pump microbubbles up, increasing
risk, it would seem the repetitive freedives might do the same.

While what I know leads me to conclude that freediving between scuba dives
is probably not a real good idea, a lot of years of freediving between dives
before I gave this any thought strongly suggests that the risk is not
extreme.  These days, snorkel between dives when I feel like it, but stick
pretty close to the surface when I do.

Lee